Whiskey Girl
by LilithiaRW
Summary: Inspired by Toby Keith, but not a songific. Tsunade introduces Sakura to her favorite bar, and a lovely little drink called whiskey. One day Sasuke and Team Hebi show up at the same time Sakura does. Chaos ensues. "Hot damn." Suigetsu muttered. "I like this one. She's a little spitfire!" Sasuke glared at him. Rated T for language. Oneshot.


**I don't own Naruto.**

**ENJOY!~~~**

* * *

**Whiskey Girl**

"It's about time you and I got a break." Tsunade sighed happily as she dragged Sakura through the village gates. The guards at the gates stared with open-mouths at the Hokage and her reluctant apprentice, wondering if they should stop the Hokage from leaving the village or not… and whether Tsunade had permission to leave Konoha. She was their leader, so technically she had the ultimate say in her movements in and out of the village… right? Nevertheless, it was a rare sight to see Tsunade outside her office, let alone leaving the village unless there was some kind of emergency.

"B-But Shisou!" Sakura protested, tugging uselessly at the blonde's super strength hold on her. "You can't just decide to take a vacation randomly! You haven't even finished the paperwork!"

Tsunade snorted. "Paperwork is never done!"

"And Shizune-sempai! She will have a heart attack when she finds your office empty!"

"It's a shame we couldn't bring her along, Kami knows that girl needs to loosen up. However I wasn't about to risk her preventing our escape."

"_Your_ escape, Shisou. _I_ am being dragged along against my will." Sakura muttered, finally giving up on escaping Tsunade's strength and allowing the stubborn Sannin to drag her along. "Where are we going anyway?"

Tsunade shot her apprentice a mischievous grin. "The Big Daddy Bar!"

The pinkette blinked. "Come again?"

"It's the best bar in the Fire Country." Tsunade crowed. "They have a great selection of not just sake, but a rare menu for alcoholic drinks from the far western countries! You can't find them anywhere else in the Fire Country."

Sakura looked at Tsunade with surprise. "So why do I need to come along?"

The Hokage patted Sakura on the shoulder. "Well considering your mood lately, I decided you needed some cheering up."

The Godaime's apprentice scowled. The news that Sasuke had killed Orochimaru had been delivered last week, and with it Sasuke's obvious decision not to return to Konoha. For the next couple days Sakura had been haunted by the memories of her ex-teammate, looking at her as a person sees an insignificant insect, calling her weak and annoying. Sasuke didn't return to Konoha because he thought that they were weak, that _she_ was weak, and she _hated_ the oppressive feeling of failure that had hovered over her like a metaphorical rain cloud. She had been a down-right bitch all week.

Sighing in defeat, Sakura acknowledged that it was probably better to release the tension than to continue verbally abusing anyone that pissed her off, like she had in the past week. Thoughts that she was still being left behind, always the weak link in Team 7, that she was still not strong enough had circled in her head nonstop.

"Oh look, we're here."

Jolted from her thoughts, Sakura realized they had been walking a lot longer than she had initially thought. The village was almost large enough to be a town. The bar was located in between the outskirts and the center of the village, convenient for both travelers and residents. It looked well-kept for a village bar, with just the right amount of grit and dirt to make it pleasantly rough around the edges.

Tsunade entered without hesitation, pushing open the door with her obnoxious strength, banging the doors open and exclaiming, "Bartender! Your best sake for your favorite customer!"

Sakura followed her Shisou in, glancing around at the large, burly men that sat at regular intervals around the bar, staring at her and Tsunade with annoyance, although it looked like some recognized Tsunade. Those must have been the regulars. The customers were shady, rough-looking, some carrying weapons in plain view, others had them hidden, muscled and scarred, with hard expressions and glinting eyes. There were only two other women in the bar, both standing in a pose that dared any man to challenge their right to be in such a place. One looked like the mercenary type, with a practical outfit and sitting among a group of battle-weary men; the other one looked like she was a waitress at the bar, in a worn dress and a soiled smock, but her face showed that she took no funny business, her eyes quick and calculating.

Sakura felt the edges of her mouth twitch. She liked this place already.

"Tsunade-chan!" the bartender yelled back in a voice that equaled the Hokage's excitement, slightly deafening Sakura. "It's been too long! I ain't seen ye in almost a year now, ne? You lookin' good, 'ole girl!"

The bartender was a bald man with an impressive mustache, with friendly, twinkling eyes. However the friendliness he exuded was offset by the sheer size of the man who, though the same height as Sakura, had so much muscle it looked like he could toss a horse clear across the village.

"Your best sake, as usual." Tsunade grinned as she sat down at the bar, her hand shooting out to grab Sakura's arm and drag the poor pinkette to sit ungracefully on the stool next to the Hokage. Sakura felt her butt slam onto the barstool, jarring her, and she sent an evil glare at her Shisou.

"Coming right up!" The bartender chuckled, turning to unlock one of the cabinets and producing an expensive looking sake bottle, setting it and a shot glass in front of the blonde woman. "Anything for the girl? If she's old enough." He glanced at Sakura.

"This is Haruno Sakura, my apprentice. Shizune couldn't make it, but she sends her regards." Tsunade introduced. "Sakura, meet Kastuo, the best damn bartender in Fire Country! Sakura's going to be my drinking partner tonight, Katsuo."

"Shisou!" Sakura hissed in a whisper. "I'm 16!"

Tsunade waved her hand nonchalantly. "Ninja are considered adults the moment they are given their hitai-ate." She turned to the bartender. "Sakura here would like to try one of your western drinks."

The bar went quiet as the other patrons began to observe the two kunoichi. The bartender's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "And what kinda drinkin' would the lass be a-looking fer tonight?"

"Um…" Sakura glanced at Tsunade and shrugged.

Katsuo and Tsunade seemed to have a silent conversation as both studied Sakura with calculating eyes, shooting mischievous looks at each other. Finally, the Hokage nodded. "She's more of a whiskey girl."

The bartender let out a loud bellow that echoed throughout the room. "Not yet, but she will be! Good choice Tsunade-chan. I'll be right back."

After Katsuo went to the back to retrieve a bottle of whiskey, Sakura turned to her Shisou. "I've never heard of _wheh-skii_ before." She said, trying to pronounce the name of the foreign beverage.

Tsunade smirked. "It's not anything fancy, but it definitely has a kick."

Now Sakura was a little worried as the bartender emerged from the back, carrying a large, rectangular glass bottle filled with a golden-brown liquid inside. He placed an odd-shaped glass in front of Sakura, the glass clinking as the whiskey bottle touched it. He poured the alcoholic beverage to the brim and then slid the drink towards Sakura.

"I ain't eva had an unsatisfied customer, so ye better like it." Katsuo threatened good-naturedly.

It seemed like the entire bar was watching her now, making Sakura nervous. Her fingers wrapped around the cooled glass and lifted it to her lips. Tsunade and the bartender stared at her with bated breath, and Sakura took her first swig.

*_COUGH! COUGH!_*

Tsunade and Katsuo roared with laughter as Sakura choked on the strong drink, along with other bar attendees chuckling in amusement behind her. The liquid was, despite its cooled temperature, warming her insides, like liquid fire, racing to her stomach and crashing like a miniature explosion, making her toes and fingers curl. It felt like she had just been punched by Shisou. Her eyes watered as Sakura forced herself to swallow; she wouldn't make a bigger fool of herself by spitting out the drink she just gulped. When it was over, Sakura was gasping for breath, her eyes watered and cheeks flushed.

She glared venomously at Tsunade.

"Hahaha oh Sakura, that was brave of you!" Tsunade gasped between guffaws. "Most beginners don't dare take a whole swig of whiskey! You're supposed to start off with smaller sips!"

_'You could have told me that from the start, you evil crone!' _Sakura's glare sharpened but she stayed quiet, her lips thinning to a grim line. Her body was frozen her hand still gripping the whiskey glass, hovering above the bar.

As Tsunade and the bartender calmed down they looked nervously at the very _un_amused Haruno.

"Er… Sakura?" Tsunade asked, dare she say it, _nervously_.

The whole bar went still to stare at the pinkette, who was gripping her empty glass in a worrisome grip.

"How did ye like tha taste lass?" Katsuo asked, unnerved at the kunoichi's lack of response.

Sakura's lips parted. "It tastes…" the whole population of the bar seemed to lean in to hear her low voice, "Like…" everyone held their breath, "Like…" Tsunade and the bartender gripped the bar…

"Like the tears of the broken-hearted_._"

For a second, no one moved. Katsuo looked confused, unsure of whether that meant that Sakura was satisfied or not with his drink. Tsunade's eyes furrowed together, wondering if Sakura was trying to somehow relate this incident to that Uchiha brat. Had the girl caught alcoholic depression that fast?

_**THUNK**_.

"Another!" Sakura demanded, voice slightly hoarse. The whole bar cheered for the newest addition to their patronage.

"You heard the girly!" one of the burly men sitting at one of the tables behind them yelled. "Get her another glass of that whiskey!"

Tsunade slapped Sakura on the back ('_That's gonna bruise later'_, Sakura absently thought), grinning at her apprentice and taking her own shot of sake. "That's my girl! Welcome to alcoholism, Sakura!" The Hokage turned to Katsuo as he refilled Sakura's glass. "Bartender! A round of whiskey for the everyone!"

The bar cheered, and Tsunade, Sakura and the whole Big Daddy Bar became happy and drunk all night.

* * *

**Two months later**

The clouds were rumbling overhead, dark and ominous, matching his mood. It had been raining off and on all day, making the roads slick with mud and the smell of damp forest fill his senses. They had been traveling all day and he was tired and cranky and tired and-

"Sasukeeeeee!" a redheaded girl whined. "We shouldn't be here!"

"Shut. Up." The Uchiha growled in severe annoyance, shoulders tense and eyes shifting cautiously, looking for any movement in the forests on either side of the road.

Suigetsu glared at the annoying vermin that went by the name Karin. "Lower your voice baka! Are you trying to alert Konoha to our location? I swear the entire Fire Country can hear you!" he hissed.

Juugo followed silently behind, humming under his breath.

"B-But-"

"Shut up Karin." Sasuke ordered. "Konohagakure is only half an hour from this village."

The redhead snapped her mouth closed.

"Hallelujah." Suigetsu looked heavenward and thanks the gods for this small miracle.

Narrowing her eyes, Karin opened her mouth and was about to retort back to Suigetsu, but a glare from the Uchiha stopped her. Suigetsu smirked.

"Sasuke-san." Juugo's voice drifted from the rear of the group, a bird upon his upheld hand. Sasuke stopped but did not turn around, listening. "The village is up ahead, about five minutes away. Maybe we can sleep there tonight before going on."

The Uchiha glanced at the sky. Dusk was falling, and though he would have preferred to put as much distance between himself and Konoha, the option of sleeping inside on a comfortable bed was a rare one for the group. A break from the constant rock-bed would offer some respite to the tension that had been building in his shoulders since he had entered Fire Country (trailing after Itachi who, as usual, escaped him again).

"Hn." The group interpreted this as a yes, and began walking down the road with renewed enthusiasm.

They reached the village with few words, Sasuke raising the hood of his cloak to hide his face. Too many people in Fire Country recognized an Uchiha. The others mirrored the action, since Juugo's sheer size and bright hair tended to draw attention, Suigetsu's giant sword would no doubt cause alarm, and Karin did it to protect her hair from the humidity.

"Look. A bar." Suigetsu pointed. "I bet it's connected to the inn. Anyone up for a drink?"

Karin threw Suigetsu a disgusted look. "What is it with men and drinking?" She scrunched her face. Suigetsu decided she looked even uglier when she did that.

"I think I'll just have a water." Juugo said softly.

Suigetsu rolled his eyes. "Pussies. Sasuke, my-man, you down for a little sake?"

"Hn."

"I'll take that as a yes!" Suigetsu cheered as he walked in the direction of the sign that said 'Big Daddy Bar'.

"Sasuke-kun doesn't drink!" Karin shrieked. "Sasuke-kun is a gentleman, unlike you and your barbarian ways! And what kind of chauvinistic name is '_Big Daddy'_ anyway?"

Suigetsu resisted the urge to insult Karin and risk making a scene in the middle of the village, but his mood got considerably better when he saw Sasuke head in his direction, as if to spite Karin in his decision for alcohol.

"Good choice, Uchiha." Suigetsu clapped a hand on Sasuke's shoulder, quickly removing the appendage before the bipolar SOB decided to cut it off. Or at least try.

Juugo and a fuming Karin followed the two into the bar, halting in the doorway at the sight of various thug-like men glaring at them. Even Suigetsu avoided eye-contact with some of the larger men. They looked like ordinary citizens, maybe some were bandits or mercenaries, but it was hard to tell. Sasuke was unfazed, knowing none of them stood a chance against his power, but he didn't assert his dominance in case a bar brawl broke out and they were kicked out of the village.

"Can I help you?" A low alto voice spoke up, and the two looked up to see the waitress approach them.

"Table for four, preferably in the back." Sasuke replied smoothly.

The woman cast a suspicious look at them, but nodded knowingly, leading them to a lonely table towards the back. Only two other men sat near it, speaking in low voices, stopping to look up and glare at the intruding quartet. Juugo sat in the farthest corner so that the shadows engulfed him, giving him a view of the entire bar. Sasuke sat across from him with his back to the bar, in no mood to watch the stupidity of drunks unfold before him. Karin tried to worm her way into the seat next to him, but he unceremoniously pushed her onto the floor. Suigetsu laughed and took the seat next to Sasuke that Karin had been pining for, leaving her with the seat next to Juugo.

"Stupid Karin." Suigetsu jeered, and soon they were embattled in another round of insults.

Slowly the suspicious patrons began to go back to their conversations, and the jolly sound of drinking filled the air again. At the bar a bunch of large, burly men were telling loud drunken jokes, laughing heartily to anything and everything. A woman dressed in leather armor and similarly dressed men began to argue over their card game, threatening each other with words and knives. Over by the dart boards the men were throwing their shot glasses, only to be quickly reprimanded by the scary-looking waitress.

"Oi!" the bartender yelled over the din, gaining the attention of Sasuke and Suigetsu. "What'll it be, lads?"

"Sake." Sasuke deadpanned.

"Sake!" Suigetsu grinned toothily.

The bartender seemed unfazed by the odd quartet and Suigetsu's sharpened teeth as he began to prepare their drinks. "Lin-Do! Come deliver 'dis to tha back table! And then four beers to our mercenary friends ova thar. Make sure they don't start throwin' them knives again, or they be payin' for the damages like last time! Damn gamblers…"

There was a shout, and suddenly two large men were involved in a brawl in the middle of the floor, grunting and shouting insults, their friends instantly began betting on the winner.

Suigetsu turned to the group as the bartender began to yell at the brawlers. "I like this place!" He exclaimed, enjoying the way Karin looked on in horror at the 'barbarians'. The scary, muscular bartender broke up the fight, lifting each man in one arm and throwing them almost effortlessly out the door.

"Ha!" one drinker yelled. "I told ye Kastuo would win! Pay up bitches!"

Grumbles filled the air as the men dug into their pockets.

"Animals…" Karin muttered in disgust, glaring at the amusement in Suigetsu's eyes.

Sasuke let out a quiet sigh and narrowed his eyes at the noisy bar. Idiots, he was surrounded by idiots! It had been such a bad week; he really did not have to deal with this.

"Here ye are kiddos." The waitress said, setting a tray before them with four sake cups and a bottle.

"Arigatou." Sasuke murmured as Suigetsu began serving the drink for the two of them.

"Didn't know you drank, Sasuke." Suigetsu chuckled. "Does being near Konoha make you nervous you'll be found?"

The Uchiha glared at him. "No."

It was just his luck that at that at that moment the door of the bar _dinged_ and a female figure stepped in, her cloak soaking wet, the hood hiding her face. She was obviously a regular, as the other customers began acknowledging her.

"Hey Sakura-san." One of the shady men sitting near their booth called.

The Uchiha's entire body stiffened and he turned slowly to glance at the figure as she removed her hood.

"Uh… Sasuke? You okay man?" Suigetsu asked. Juugo glanced at the stranger curiously as Karin seethed at the clearly _female_ customer.

"**Fuck**." Was his reply.

* * *

A chuckle escaped her as Sakura approached the Big Daddy Bar, recognizing the two men lying in the mud. "You boys got in trouble again, huh? Good 'ole Katsuo."

The two men groaned.

"He started it, Sakura-san…" one of them muttered.

"Did not! Asshole!" the other protested.

The medic rolled her eyes and stepped over their pathetic bodies, entering the bar.

"Welcome back Sakura-san." A large man spoke from his table as Sakura passed by, his curly black hair pulled back to reveal a hardened face lined with age, wearing a blacksmith smock and smelling of iron and beer.

Sakura nodded in acknowledgment. "Tukimo-san."

At the sound of her name a couple more bar patrons looked up to smile (or simply less of a frown) at her entrance.

"Hey Sakura-san." Another of the bar's regulars greeted from his table in the back, where he liked to stick to the shadows. The man across from him turned around to see Sakura as well, waving at her. Boku and Kokura were both tall and lanky, the brothers were con artists that traveled to large towns and rip off their poor customers.

More greetings continued from the rough patrons of the Big Daddy Bar as Sakura finally reached her destination at the bar.

"Sakura-chan~!" The bartender exclaimed.

Sakura shook her head with the same amused smile she used for Sai and Naruto. No matter how scary Kastuo looked, dirty clothes, large callused hands, muscular enough to throw out three grown men from his bar at the same time, he always treated her like a princess. His fancy mustache, curled upwards at the edges, only made him even more comical.

"So for the lady, what's it gonna be?" he asked her with a knowing look in his eyes. "Wine and roses?" – she laughed- "Beer?"- Sakura turned up her nose with a dramatic huff- "Or maybe champagne?" –the pinkette rolled her eyes- "Or those Cuervo Gold margaritas?" –Sakura tapped her chin thoughtfully- "Tequila?" Kastuo smirked.

"Just ain't enough of a burn in tequila. Need something with a little more edge and a little more pain." She smirked back.

Kastuo was already bringing out a rectangular bottle and filling a glass for her, setting the bottle next to her glass on the bar. "Here ya go, little whiskey girl. The punch on this one is strong enough for an ex-boyfriend."

Laughing, Sakura sat down at the bar, taking off her cloak and setting it on the chair next to her. "Arigatou Kastuo-san."

"Sakura!" She turned to see Lin-Do walk up to her and give her a brief hug. "It's been a while."

"I had a mission." Sakura replied apologetically, sadness flashing across her eyes too fast for the civilian to notice.

"We figured." Lin-Do nodded. "By the way, your friends with at the Tsu-Yuan table want ya to come join them in their gambling when you're relaxed."

Sakura smiled and turned back to the bar as Lin-Do ran off to her job as someone called for her. Taking a moment to exhale and relax her shoulders, Sakura grabbed the whiskey glass and threw her head back, taking the shot, a couple drops dribbling down her neck.

She slammed the glass back on the table, staring down at her gloved hands, still scuffed and bloody from her mission. It had been brutal, mentally, and helluva bloody. And as she was returning to Konoha, she realized she just really needed her whiskey. Kami she was turning into her Shisou.

Wordlessly, Kastuo grabbed the bottle and refilled her glass. "Rough day at work lass?"

"You have no idea." She muttered and took another shot, enjoying the feeling of bittersweet fire running through her body.

Their exchange was interrupted as yet another brawl broke out. One man slammed the other into the counter, sending debris flying down its length. Katsuo began cussing up a storm. Meanwhile, Sakura casually leaned back and lifted her glass and the whiskey bottle, still drinking her beverage, unfazed.

"Say that again, bastard!"

"You mother is a-"

She closed her eyes and continued to enjoy her drink. _I will be calm I will be calm I will be calm I will be-_

One of the brawlers fell backwards onto her, knocking her glass out of her hand, although she clutched the whiskey bottle fearfully, keeping it safe. Glass shattered on the floor. Her eyes snapped open, glittering with the promise of pain.

"For fuck's sake!" She snarled, whirling around to find five men involved in the latest brawl, one being Katsuo attempting to kick two men out, and the other two still fighting each other after ruining Sakura's drink.

"Get back here!" She yelled, jumping into the fray, grabbing the man's collar and jerking him backwards into her uppercut. Then she tossed his body aside as he cried like a baby, lunging for his partner in crime. In a few seconds she had knocked out four men and accidentally sent one flying through the wall and into the street.

"Oops…" she muttered, bending down to pick up two men, Katsuo picking up the other one and together they tossed the four into the street.

Then she and Katsuo returned to the bar, muttering profanities the entire time. Lin-Do was already cleaning up the shattered glass of Sakura's drink, also muttering colorful words.

"You've racked up a lot of trouble makers tonight." Sakura joked.

Katsuo scowled. "Fucking lily-livered flea infested pigs ruined the floor. Again." He muttered as he tossed her a new glass of whiskey, which she effortlessly plucked from the air, filled with whiskey, and quickly downed it.

"Mother of Buddha." Sakura swore, shaking her head and refilling her glass.

* * *

Over at the back table, the four members of Team Hebi stared at the petite kunoichi that had just brawled against four men and whooped their asses within seconds.

"Hot damn sweet baby Jesus!" Suigetsu muttered. "I like this one. She's a little spitfire!" Sasuke glared at him.

Karin sniffed conceitedly. "She's nothing but a common bar whore."

"She seemed really good…" Juugo protested, earning a scathing glare from Karin. "And what is a gee-zus?" Juugo questioned, flummoxed.

"Don't be jealous, just because you're basically useless." Suigetsu chuckled off-handedly, the redhead looking like she might explode (Oh, if only...).

Meanwhile, Sasuke was analyzing Sakura's every move. He certainly didn't remember the girl form his team being… strong. And capable. And a drunk. What was whiskey, anyway?

She swirled the remnant drops of amber in the glass, staring at it as she finally found her mind calming down and the adrenaline in her system slowing down. Her wounds were hidden by her armor and the black fabric hid the blood, the rain had washed off any red from her armor from her earlier mission. There was a cut running across her right cheekbone, but it had stopped bleeding, so she ignored its sting.

"Well, nothin' like a good drink to clear the head." Katsuo chuckled.

"That is an oxymoron." Sakura snorted, but it was true. The thoughts that had been troubling her since the conclusion of her mission were finally disappearing. And that was when she felt a nudge in the back of her head, her instincts screaming, like a hand sliding down her back. Someone was watching her in a way that made her shinobi instincts kick in.

As Katsuo refilled her glass again, Sakura closed her eyes and took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of alcohol, sweat, vomit, wood, and… ash. That was different. Her eyes snapped open. Picking up her whiskey glass, Sakura spun slowly in her stool, casually looking around the bar. Her gaze passed over the back corner easily as she pretended not to notice the four suspicious figures in the back.

As she completed her full turn she set her empty glass on the counter, nursing it as Katsuo refilled it wordlessly. Sakura closed her eyes and extended her hearing…

"… know her?" a woman's voice. Strained.

"…No…" That voice… dark, devoid of emotion… Sakura's heart clench and she firmly stomped out any and all hope.

"Bullshit Uchiha!" Another male voice, slurred slightly.

"Quiet!" The second voice ordered. "We are leaving. Now."

The four strangers stood up abruptly, their chairs scraping the wooden floor but not disturbing the lull of conversation that surrounded them.

"Leaving so soon, Sasuke?" Sakura called out loudly over the noisy bar as the quartet neared the door.

The entire bar went quiet as everyone recognized the name of the traitorous Uchiha and looked with renewed interest at the shady figures.

Sakura spun around in her bar stool and leaned back against the bar, drinking steadily from her whiskey.

One figure stepped forward, drawing back his hood. She kept her heart from speeding up at the sight of him, and his untouchably perfect features, as if carved by an artist from stone, especially given his lack of expression. Fucking hormones, fuck fuck fuck. Why do Uchihas have to be so goddamn beautiful? It really wasn't fair.

"Sakura."

"Oh you remember my name? Such a surprise." She said snarkily. His eyes flashed at her attitude. _Good. Little fucking brat._

"Stand back, Sakura." He ordered her.

Sakura raised an eyebrow, holding her arms out in mockery. "_I_ am sitting on my stool. Have you gone blind, _Sasuke-kun_?" She said his name with false sweetness, his name was vinegar on her lips.

Sasuke frowned.

"I didn't take you for the drinker type, Sasuke." Sakura proceeded conversationally, finishing her glass with a long chug, placing her glass on the counter with a loud clank.

"That's what I said!" a white-haired youth exclaimed from behind Sasuke, who was then hit in the back of the head by a female figure, who hissed at him to shut up.

"I didn't take you for a drunk either." Sasuke snapped, which Sakura recognized as his usual quick to anger self. She always had a talent for getting under his skin.

The Konoha kunoichi shrugged. "My Shisou is a drunk. I guess I picked it up from her."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he wondered who Sakura's new sensei was, and what had happened to Kakashi. She had definitely changed a lot.

Sakura's eyes glanced over the group. "Replacing us already? I'm hurt."

"Replacing?" the female member of Sasuke's group echoed.

The medic smiled. "I know, he always was the rude one of the group. _Sasuke_, you know better!" She scolded him with false disappointment, turning to his new teammates. "I'm Haruno Sakura. Sasuke was my teammate when I was a gennin." She giggled. "Of course, Sasuke still _is_ a gennin. Oh the irony."

Sakura smirked as she felt a jealous aura consume the redheaded woman. "No wonder he left you all." She sneered. "You're obviously just a drunken slut pretending to be a shinobi. Weak. Like Sasuke always said."

Sakura narrowed her eyes at Karin. Did this woman seriously say that after watching her take out a bar brawl in a second? Fucking idiots.

"What can I say?" Sakura said through clenched teeth. "I'm a whiskey girl. You should try some. Then we'll see who's a drunken slut. I bet you couldn't even hold down a bottle."

Karin bristled. "Give me that!" She snatched the bottle of whiskey from the bar and proceeded to chug it.

The entire bar population smirked along with Sakura, Sasuke rolling his eyes, Suigetsu laughing, and Juugo trying in vain to warn Karin not to drink the amber liquid. As predicted, Karin instantly spluttered and spat everything back up, literally choking as her face turned red. Her eyes watered with tears that spilled onto her cheeks as she gripped her stomach and throat. The whole bar erupted into hearty guffaws of laughter the redhead's expense.

The bottle was left to fall to the floor, however Sasuke was quick to catch it before it spilled, eyeing the liquid. From its position in his hand he could clearly smell the potency of the beverage, making him wonder is Sakura could really hold so many glasses down, or whether she was just really good at acting sober when drunk. With everyone's attention on Karin, Sasuke's curiosity urged him to take a sip of the whiskey. His eye widened at the burning sensation, dropping to the bottom of his stomach and curling through his veins. This thing was **_strong_**. He carefully placed the drink on the table, wondering how in the world Sakura could stand to drink that thing.

"Oh Sasuke, you replaced us with stupid people? How sad!" Sakura clutched her stomach as Katsuo took pity on Karin and brought her a glass of water.

Sasuke glared at her.

"You bitch!" Karin jumped up and swung at Sakura.

But to the apprentice of the Godaime, Karin's punch was almost in slow motion. Sakura easily leaned out of the way, bending her knees and propelling her own, far more lethal, punch into Karin's abdomen. The redhead gasped in pain and crumpled to the floor, clutching her broken ribs. _'Oh come on, I didn't even hit her that hard! Che, wimp.'_

The mood shifted with tension as Sasuke, Suigetsu, and Jorge faced Sakura. "You shouldn't have done that." Sasuke told her.

Sakura crossed her arms. "What? Are you going to attack me now?" She baited. At the question the large, burly patrons of the bar shifted, and suddenly there was an army of scary-looking thugs backing up the Uchiha's old teammate, cracking their knuckles and pulling out hidden weapons.

Suigetsu whistled and muttered profanities under his breath. "She's got this whole fucking bar to back her up."

"Oh more than that." Sakura smirked.

Sasuke eyed her, wary of her words.

"You have approximately 3 seconds before ANBU from Konoha arrives… 2… 1…" She laughed as Sasuke's group scrambled out the door, the orange-haired man picking up Karin and unceremoniously throwing her over his shoulder like a sack of trash. Oh man, she would never forget the look of pure panic of Sasuke's face!

Sasuke cursed himself for not sensing the approaching ninja before. Sakura had been stalling them. When did she send a message to the village anyway?! Sneaky little…

"Oh Sasuke-_kuuuuun_~" he looked back towards the bar, where Sakura was standing on top of the roof. She winked at him and held her hand up, showing off the middle finger, flipping him off. "Come again soon!"

The gall of that girl. Sasuke was bewildered by how much she had changed since he left with Orochimaru. He glared at her and turned back around to run away with his group-

"FREEZE! This is Konohagakure ANBU! You are surrounded! Release your weapons and surrender!"

Sakura waved at him from her spot on the roof, smirking as she blew him a kiss. Sasuke clenched his hands, knowing he was caught.

"_**Fuck**_."

* * *

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**A lot.**

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